Buckle and the like



July 13, 1937. J. F. cox

BUCKLE AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 2, 1954 ?atented July 13, 193'! TENT OFFIQE BUCKLE AND THE LIKE Joseph F; Corr, Arlington, Mass assignor to United-Carr Fastener Corporation,- Cambridge, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 2; 1934, Serial No. 709,515

6 Claims.

My invention aims to provide improvements in leather covered structures particularly, though not exclusively, useful as buckles for straps and the like.

In the drawing which illustrates preferred embodiments of my invention:-

Figure 1 shows a plan View of a blank from which may be formeda circularmetal structure;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the blank shown in Figure 1 after the center portion has been cut out;

Mg. 3 is a plan view of the blank shown in Fig. 2 after it has been pressed into U-shaped cross-section;

Fig. 4 is a. section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and also includes an edge View of the disk of covering material;

Fig. 5 is a plan View of 'a completed leather covered ring made from the parts shown in 29 Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of a structure like that shown in Fig. 5 but with the addition of a crossbar;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 'l-l of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a buckle similar to that shown in Fig. 6 but with a rectangular outline.

My invention as illustrated by the annexed drawing is particularly useful in connection with the manufacture of covered buckles and other similar covered articles which .may be used in connection with belts, straps and the like on articles of wearing apparel. In this connection I have selected a leather covered ring to disclose the main part of my invention because it is much more simple to illustrate. However, I have also disclosed my invention as it would appear when 40 incorporated in a buckle having a circular contour with a center crossbar and a rectangular buckle with a center crossbar. It should be understood, however, that other well-known types of buckles may be constructed within the teachings of my invention as disclosed.

Since my invention as herein illustrated and disclosed relates more particularly to the arti cle per se, I have illustrated and will now describe only as much of the method of manufacture as will be necessary for those skilled in the art to produce articles per se coming within the scope of my invention.

The devices illustrated are preferably formed from two pieces one of which I shall term a form piece I and the other of which I shall term a covering material 2. The form piece I is pressed from a flat blank cut out from a strip of metal and preferably having teeth 3 at its periphery, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Thereafter the blank shown in Fig. 1 has the center portion cut out and the inner periphery is preferably provided with a series of teeth 4, as shown in Fig. 2. Then the blank is formed into a substantially U-shaped cross-section, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, to provide a hollow ring. Thereafter the covering material 2 (Fig. 4) is stretched about the ring-like form I to provide a covered ring, as shown in Figs. 5 and '7. Any suitable mechanism may be used in securing thetwo parts together and the center portion of the flexible material 2 may be cut out to conform with the inside contour of the structure either before or during the attachment to the form I.

In order that the leather and like covering material I may be secured firmly in covering position on the metallic form member i, I prefer to have the edge portions of the covering material turned inwardly toward each other and then en-. ter the hollow U-shaped portion of the form I in a side-by-side relation, as shown in Figs. '7 and 8. The inwardly turned portions 5 of the covering material I are gripped between inwardly turned free edge portions 5 of the U-shaped portion of the form I, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. In order to prevent the covering material from slipping, the teeth 3 and 4 on the edges of the inwardly turned portions 5 pierce their way into the material 5 (Fig. 8) thereby preventing the inwardly turned portions 5 of the covering material I from pulling out from between the inwardly bent portions 6.

In Figs. 6 and 9 I have illustrated conventional shapes of buckles having crossbars l which extend from one side of the U-shaped rim to the opposite side thereby intersecting the aperture 8 surrounded by the rim and providing means to which one end of a belt, strap or the like may be attached in any Well-known manner. The buckle shown in Fig. 6 is round in contour and illustrates the seam 9 at the back of the buckle, while the buckle shown in Fig. 9 is a front view of a rectangular structure. It should be understood, however, that other Well known forms and buckle structures may be covered with leather or the like in substantially the same manner as heretofore described in connection with covering the plain ring illustrated.

My invention is particularly desirable because there is a substantial market for leather covered buckles of all types which heretofore, as far as I am aware, were made up of metal forms covered with leather, stitched in place by sewing around the edges of the form. Buckles made in this manner are quite expensive and because of the nature of the construction are diiiicult to manufacture both from a point of accuracy and speed. My improved structures can be made easily, quickly and relatively inexpensively because the two parts may be secured together in considerably less time and with less handling than is the case with the sewn leather covered buckle. Furthermore, my improved structures are more uniform and neater in appearance.

While I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereby, because the scope. of my invention is best defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a hollow form piece of desired shape having opposed continuous edges, the edges of said form piece being inturned toward each other and toward the interior of the form piece, a covering of flexible material overlying the form piece and having free edges extending into the interior thereof between the opposed interior edges of the form piece and gripped together solely thereby.

2. A device of the class described comprising a hollow form piece of relatively stiff sheet material of substantially tubular cross-section providing a back and opposed continuous edges, the opposed edges being curved toward each other and inturned toward the back, a covering of flexible material overlying the form piece and having its edges extending over and between the opposed inturned edges of the form piece and being securely gripped together thereby.

3. A device of the class described comprising a hollow form piece of relatively stiff sheet material of substantially tubular cross-section providing a back and opposed continuous serrated edges, the opposed edge portions being curved toward each other and inturned toward the back,

and a covering of flexible material overlying the form and having its free edges extending within the interior of the form between the inturned edges thereof and securely held in position by the inturned serrated edges of the form penetrating the covering material.

4. A device of the character described comprising an apertured sheet metal form piece of sub-- stantially elliptical tubular cross section providing a back and opposed continuous clamping edges, the portions of the form adjacent the edges being curved toward each other and the edge portions being inturned toward the back substantially centrally of the form section, and a covering of flexible material overlying the form piece and having its opposed free edges extending into the interior of the form between the inturned free edges thereof, the inturned edges of the form piece constituting the sole means for securing the covering in place.

5. A device of the character described comprising a sheet metal annulus bent into substantially tubular form with its free edges extending toward each other and inturned toward the interior of the tubular annulus substantially centrally of the section and a covering of flexible material overlying the form piece having its free edges inturned and extending into the interior of the tubular form piece and securely gripped in place by the opposed inturned edges of the form piece.

6. A device of the character described comprising a substantially tubular sheet metal annulus having serrated inner and outer edges, the opposite serrated edges extending toward each other and being inturned toward the interior of thetubular section substantially centrally thereof, and a covering of flexible material overlying the form piece, the free edge portions of said covering extending into the interior of the tubular section and penetrated by the serration on the edge portions of the form piece for holding the parts in secure assembled relation.

JOSEPH F. COX. 

